After our date, Seunghyun made sure that he brought me back home. Oftentimes when we are having our date, it doesn't mean that we are hanging out together. It means that he is going with me when I fetch some things for the café. The date word started when Minyoung joked about it. There are also a few times when our dates meant hangout, though it was limited because fans would notice that their beloved TOP is with somebody else.

 

“Go now.” He said after we went out of his car. We stood in front of each other, he urging me to go inside.

“You take care. Drive safely.”

“Okay.”

“Thanks for driving me home.”

“Anything for you.” He smiled, and I smiled back. I started to walk to our gates, but the moment I opened them he called me again, “Sunhee-ssi.”

“Yes?” I said after turning to him again.

“Can I… at least hug you?”

 

I just looked at him. I don't know, but I am so annoyed at him right now. How could he be so cute when demanding things like that, and I don't have any choice but to do what he wants?

 

“No. Never mind.” He pouted after some seconds of me staring at him.

 

I bit my lip and walked back to him. Then I hugged him tight. It's a wonder how our bodies fit, like God had really made us knowing that we would hug like this for the rest our lives. I listened to the fast beat of his heart, and for a moment I thought I could count the minutes along with those beats, but someone interrupted us.

 

“Sunhee.” We pulled ourselves away from each other and looked at the one who called my name.

 

It was Taehee.

 

~-~-

 

I and Taehee went inside our house after she dragged me rudely, leaving Seunghyun standing outside, not really knowing what's going on.

Taehee let my hand go after she closed the door, and I looked at her annoyingly.

 

“What was it?” I asked. She looked at me pointedly.

“You tell me what was it. Sunhee, what, are you and Seunghyun-ssi dating?”

“Well…” I creased my brow. I don't really know why Taehee is acting like this now. “We just started dating.” I bit my lip when her crumpled face crumped more.

“What the hell, Sunhee! I thought you would never—”

“After what happened to you and Taehyung, I thought I should try.” I explained. “Taehee, I don't want to feel the guilt you are feeling. I mean, I don't want Seunghyun to feel he's taken for granted, like you think Taehyung feels.” Upon hearing Taehyung's name, she gulped and looked away furiously. “I'm sorry.”

“Right. You're right. You should try.” She breathed and started walking to the stairs. “Sorry for being angry.”

 

I didn't see Taehee go down after that.

When I woke up, I saw her bed vacant, her blanket was unusually in a ruin. Yohee is on hers, sitting on her bed and staring creepily at me, her big brown eyes shone when she saw me rising on my bed.

 

“Yah, Taehee said you and Seunghyun are already dating.” She started.

 

The thing is, brokenhearted or not, Taehee is such a gossip.

 

“Yeah.” I sighed. Yohee shrieked and ran to my bed.

“When did you start?”

“Just yesterday.”

“I knew it!” She screamed. “I guess it's because of Taehee's hearty speech of her breakup with Taehyung.”

I nodded sleepily, then after realizing something, my eyes fully opened and looked at her. “Yah, don't tell me—”

“Yes! We and Jimin are officially dating too! Well thanks to Taehee, she made us realize something.” Her smile suddenly wore off, and then she breathed. “I wish she and Taehyung can go back to being couple too. I want us all to be happy.

“Wishing them to go back to being couple is too much… I think.”

“But I think they still love each other. It's just a misunderstanding or something.”

“Yeah, but you know Taehee. There's no going back for her.”

“Still, they might arrange this. I pity Taehyung more than Taehee actually. Besides,” she breathed and looked at my crumpled sheets, “it's really getting awkward here in the house.”

“I know. But really, all we have to do is wait.”

 

~-~-

 

The next day, the tension was still in the house.

It’s like there is a silent agreement between boys and girls. All of us in the house pity Taehyung for what happened, but still I and Yohee knew that Taehee needed us, and so we tried to focus on making her every moment in the house as less awkward as possible. On the other hand, the guys were always there consoling Taehyung, but when Taehyung wasn’t around they were talking to Taehee silently.

I bid my goodbye to Taehee who was staying in our room and waiting for me and Taehyung to leave the house. When I went down, I saw Taehyung looking meaningfully at me.

 

“Is Taehee still in your room?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. He frowned and dragged me out.

“She might get late if we don’t leave now.”

 

God, my heart breaks every time this man shows his love for her.

I and Taehyung left the house without us talking much. When we reached Sonic, the café is already open and someone is already inside, giddily mopping the floor. When I opened the door he stopped mopping and looked at me.

 

“Sorry ma’am, the café’s still close.”

“Uh…” I started and looked at him, almost dumbfounded. “Who are you?”

 

He frowned and studied me intently. He doesn’t seem like a robber. If he is, then he wouldn’t mop the building he just robbed, right? Besides, he wears the standard uniform my crew is wearing. Where did he possibly get that? Not that he’s a Sonic fan and would like to work here for free, either. Who would work for free and who would be a Sonic fan?

 

“Yah nuna,” Taehyung suddenly whispered into my ear, “this man’s quite suspicious.”

Suddenly another man emerged from the kitchenette. It was Hangyun oppa, holding a shot glass on his right hand. “Sunhee. Taehyung.” He greeted while walking to us. The weird this is, he is smiling even if there’s someone here that we don’t know and mopping the floor as if it is his job.

“What’s happening in here?” I asked Hangyun oppa before looking at the man with the mop, indicating oppa to explain who the man is, since it seemed like they knew each other. Mop Man is still frowning and looking between me, Taehyung and the approaching Hangyun oppa.

“Ah, yeah.” Hangyun oppa now jogged to Mop Man and whispered something. Mop Man looked at Hangyun oppa.

“You mean—” He now looked at us, his big eyes big with surprise. “Good morning! My name is Park Yul!” He bowed and greeted us rather loudly. Oh. So maybe this Yul is our new staff I asked Minyoung and Hangyun oppa to find. I got the scenario already, but it seemed like Taehyung was still not on the same page as us.

“Hyung, I don’t get it.” Taehyung complained while putting his hands on his waist. “I mean, what is that man doing here?”

“Well Sunhee said we need a new staff since you…” I looked at Hangyun oppa pointedly, and thankfully he got it and didn’t continue. “Anyway, Yul will be our new staff. He’s doing well now, actually.”

“Did you screen him well?” I asked. Park Yul is tall and handsome, almost taller that both Hangyun oppa and Taehyung, with cute eyesmile that can make girls squirm over him. I am not a fan of looks, really, and always intend to put my staff’s performance first. Still I can’t deny he can be an idol, and I don’t know why he ended up working in a café.

“Well for that…” Hangyun oppa bit his lip and scratched his eyebrow – the things he do when he get nervous – before continuing. “Yul here is my cousin. I hired him because—”

“Wait up.” Taehyung held his left palm up before massaging his temple, his right hand staying on his hip. “Sunhee nuna, you hired somebody else?!”

I bit my lip and breathed. I never expected Taehyung would be angry because I hired somebody to help him. Not that I’m firing him! “Taehyung—”

“You think I am not capable of helping you here because Taehee broke with me? Am I that useless to you?!”

“No Taehyung—” I am starting to explain but he suddenly walked out. “Taehyung, wait!”

“Oh my, he’s angry.” Yul said, frowning. I rolled my eyes at him and looked at Taehyung’s retreating back. If he walks back to the house, he might see Taehee there. God, his mood will be worse if he sees Taehee.

“Sunhee, follow him.” Hangyun oppa said after a moment. I breathed. At least someone’s understanding the situation here.

“Thanks Hangyun oppa.” I said. Oppa smiled, and I ran to Taehyung.

 

I saw him brisk-walking down the pedestrian to our house. Just before the stop lights turn to green, I grabbed Taehyung’s hand and drag (I know he’s a man, but my determination to pull him is stronger than his anger) him away. When we stop and I turn to him, he is already looking at me angrily.

 

“What else do you want?”

“I never saw you as worthless, okay? So cut the crap.” I breathed, gaining all the calmness and patience I still have, and looked at his angry eyes. “I just want to do the right thing by hiring Yul. He can help you with things, you know. While you’re still not feeling well.”

“You could’ve just told me I am changing, nuna, so I can stop myself from being so down! You don’t need to hire someone to help me.”

“We two know you wouldn’t stop yourself from being sad and down. You just broke up with Taehee, and I know how hard this is for you.” I closed my eyes and imagined myself breaking up with Seunghyun. I know we just started, but still it doesn’t feel right. “I know pretending is easy for you, but please. I know pretending this much is hard.” When he looked somewhere else and remained silent, I continued. “You know for yourself that you changed, and you know how to get yourself back.”

He looked at me again, his eyes saying he know exactly what I am saying. “Nuna…”

“I can always help you, Taehyung. I’m here when you’re ready.”

 

~-~-

 

After two weeks of avoiding Taehee, Taehyung felt he had enough. He kept rewinding the day of their breakup. Where did he go wrong? What did he possibly do to annoy Taehee and make her break up with him? When did she start feeling like she doesn’t love him anymore? Taehyung kept asking those questions to himself, but he didn’t find the answers. It was only Taehee who can answer those.

Since Sunhee has offered her help, Taehyung decided to take the chance. And like Sunhee said, she did all she can to help him. She was the one who treated everyone to a dinner so Taehyung would be left in the house. Taehyung would just wait for Taehee to come, since she doesn’t know any of the happenings now. But since it seemed like Taehee would not come home any moment, they proceeded to Plan B.

Sunhee called Taehee to go home and run some errands for her. Taehyung didn’t know what those errands are, but the important thing is, Sunhee just reported that Taehee’s on her way home.

Taehyung thought of the things he would tell Taehee. How do he start? Maybe a hi, how have you been?

 

“God, Taehyung you idiot!” He laughed almost mirthlessly, and then stopped after a second. “She will definitely slap you if you ask that question.”

 

After some minutes – or was it hours? – Taehyung finally heard the gates creak. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven… He braced himself and waited for the door to open as he counted the seconds that was left in his colorful life. Six. Five Four… He imagined Taehee’s brisk and big steps as she walk to their front porch and into their door, and her tired but calm face that might change to furious one once she sees Taehyung. Three. Two. One…

The door knob of their main door turned. Taehee entered, left her shoes outside and then looked at the living room. When she saw Taehyung, she can’t do anything but to lock her eyes on his, shocked that he was there.

Sunhee said she took everyone outside!

 

“Taehyung…” She managed to say. Taehyung gulped, even if he felt his throat was dry.

“Hi…” An awkward silence filled the room. Taehyung faked a cough before looking somewhere else. He bit his lip while he scolded himself inwardly. What the hell are you doing, Kim Taehyung?!

 

He was definitely not taking the chance Sunhee had given him.

 

“Sunhee sent me here… she said she had misplaced her earphones here…”

“She hasn’t misplaced anything.” Taehyung said with a shrug. Taehee looked at him pointedly.

“What do you mean?”

“Sunhee nuna wanted us to talk, that’s why she sent you here.” Taehyung caught Taehee’s surprised look after he said those. She then took a step away from him, slowly.

“There’s nothing else to talk about, Kim Taehyung.”

“Yeah, sure.” He rolled his eyes. It was the first time he did that to Taehee, and somehow it felt amazing. He could talk to her, roll his eyes like a normal human being in front of her… Sure, that was great. “I just wanted you to ask some things.”

“Things… like what?” Taehee managed another step back, but Taehyung walked to her and grabbed her hand. She almost jerked. When did Taehyung become such a gangster?

“Let’s have a drink while talking about those things, okay?”

 

They had a drink in the kitchen.

The sharehouse’s kitchen is small, it can only occupy two to three persons. Since it was Taehee and Jin’s job to do cooking and Taehyung’s job to wash the dishes (and sometimes Sunhee, who is assigned in throwing garbage bags outisde), the kitchen is where they feel most comfortable. Aside from the sitting area, the kitchen is where Taehyung and Taehee took most of their bonding moments. Well, not that Taehyung is reminiscing, but…

Taehyung put up two mugs and filled them with brewed coffee before giving one to Taehee. Taehee took it and raised the mug a bit for a silent thank-you.

 

“So…?” Taehee asked after a sip. Taehyung looked at her.

“I don’t believe on the reason you gave me when we broke up. What is the reason, really? Are you annoyed at me or what?”

“Taehyung,” Taehee breathed and put her mug near the sink. “I was never annoyed at you. Okay, maybe at the start when we first met, but now…” She breathed again, deeper this time. “To tell you honestly, it is because of myself.”

“Your job?”

Taehee nodded. “I don’t want to take you for granted. I don’t want you to feel you’re taken for granted. Since I think I can’t hear the words ‘let’s break up’ from you, I said it first.” She hugged herself and looked at the floor. “I’m sorry.”

 

Taehyung nodded. Even he wasn’t sure he can say those words to her. The annoying part is, she is right. Even Taehyung says he will wait for her, it wasn’t clear when that waiting would end. Maybe at the end of Taehee’s career? And when will her career end? Taehyung doesn’t know if he can really wait that long. He is sure that one day he will demand for time, and those demands would cause fights, and certainly a breakup later on. Taehyung is almost thankful that Taehee broke up with him while it’s still early. While they still haven’t done anything wrong… so wrong it could damage their relationship forever.

 

“I understand.” Taehyung said, and Taehee looked up at him, her eyes forming tears. He fought the urge to cry, too. “I know you wouldn’t want us to go back together again, so I won’t ask that of you.”

“Thank you—”

“All I will ask,” Taehyung cut her out, “is friendship.” He do not know why he said that. Maybe he was going crazy again, asking for friendship instead of maybe a marriage proposal, but Taehee’s crazier.

She suddenly hugged Taehyung and whispered to his ear, “You’re an idiot, you know that?” She started to sniff, and Taehyung knew she was crying. If it was tears of joy or tears of sadness, he doesn’t know. “But still, thank you so much. I missed you.”

 

He hugged her back. He missed her too.

 

~-~-

 

Taehyung and Taehee might be reconciling now.

But still I don’t know how to tell them.

Okay, maybe I said I would invite these guys to dinner because Taehyung and Taehee have to use the whole house for their little talk, but more than that, I treated them to dinner so that they won’t go angry-furious at me. I will accept just-angry, but not angry-furious, especially from Yoongi oppa.

So I ended up spending so much money tonight.

Jin oppa chose a good Korean seafood restaurant just downtown Hongdae, almost a block from Minhee’s bar. The boys had their fifth soju, and I and Yohee decided not to drink too much so they’ll have someone to drive and carry them back home.

But I badly wanted more alcohol. Alcohol makes me braver.

At my third glass, Yoongi oppa already stopped me from drinking. He drunk my soju and smiled at me.

 

“Yah, Sunhee. You’ll drive so you have to stop drinking now.”

I rolled my eyes. “Are you guys already drunk?”

“Uh, not really.” Jimin said, scratching his head. “Do you have something to tell us?”

 

Oh no. Do they know it already? Am I spending my money for nothing?

God, if Yohee told them already, then I’ll make her pay for the food we have eaten. Plus, I will pull her hair and make sure she’ll have to wear wigs.

 

“Yeah, it seemed like you have something to tell us.” Jin oppa said after opening his crab’s body. “You wouldn’t spend this much for Taehyung, right?”

“Actually…” I started fiddling with my fingers. It’s Jimin’s fault that I’m cornered now. I can never forgive him!!! “I really do have something to tell you.”

“And what is it?” Yoongi oppa asked, looking at me intently.

“Well… That…” I gulped once more and breathed. “I and Seunghyun-ssi are dating.”

 

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